


Absolutes

by knsinger1212



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Arkadia, Children, F/M, Fluff, Future Fic, Marriage Proposal, Post-Season/Series 02 AU, Weddings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-13
Updated: 2016-06-01
Packaged: 2018-04-14 13:54:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4567038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/knsinger1212/pseuds/knsinger1212
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>*Previously titled "Sealing the Deal"</p><p>Small snipets of the future for Clarke and Bellamy, from their wedding to their children.</p><p>1. His proposal is spontaneous.<br/>"Is this a hypothetical question?"</p><p>2. Clarke is four months and two weeks into her first pregnancy when she swears that this baby will be an only child. </p><p>6. Wick proposes and Raven is a complete and utter disaster.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own The 100, any plot points or characters in it, just a fan of the awesome show. Please feel free to leave constructive criticism as this is my first work. Enjoy!

His proposal was spontaneous.  
It was midsummer. She was lying awake in their bed, well really it was her bed in her cabin, but it had become theirs’ in the past four months. The rain was thundering down on the wooden roof, and it was moments like these where she was reminded how small she was, how new their camp was and how unproven everything felt. Thunder shook the walls and lightening pierced the few cracks in between the logs she need to patch, or more specifically she needed to get Bellamy to fix, he seemed to have a particular knack for it, while all her attempts fell out in a matter of minutes. A particularly loud crack of thunder startled Bellamy awake and he sat up in bed.  
“God, it sounds like it’s going to shake the walls down, doesn’t it?” he said as he lowered himself back to the bed. She nodded in response, choosing to simply look at him. He sleepily smiled at her.  
“What?”  
“Nothing, just admiring the view,” she answered, causing his smile to become a smirk.  
“Oh really?”  
“Shut up,” Clarke responded with a grin.  
“I might have to start charging you for looking. The rate you’re going, I could be a rich man in less than a week,” Bellamy sarcastically commented. She groaned at his comment and ensuing laughter.  
They had fallen into a comfortable silence that stretched several minutes, listening to the rain that had lessened from a downpour to a drizzle. Clarke was slipping off into sleep when she heard Bellamy’s breathing hitch, as if he’d opened his mouth to say something.  
“What?” she mumbled, turning onto her side to face him as he lay on his back.  
“Would you marry me?”  
Her sleepy mind startled awake and she was stunned into silence for a moment. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the cabin and she fixed them on his face, noting that he was staring up at the ceiling.  
“Is this a hypothetical or a legitimate question?” she slowly queried when she was able to speak again. His bark of laughter only served to confuse her more.  
“Only you, Clarke Griffin, would wonder if I was hypothetically asking you to marry me,” he turned on his side to face her before repeating his question, “Would you marry me? Do I need to get down on one knee?”  
He took her silence as confirmation to his latter question and rose from the bed. She sat up, pulling the covers off her to swing her legs off the bed as he reached her and got down on one knee. He looked her in the eyes and repeated his question.  
“So this isn’t a hypothetical?” She teased a bit.  
“No, absolutely not a hypothetical question,” he responded firmly, though his eyes betrayed his amusement.  
“I think you know the answer already.”  
“Clarke, would you please just give me a straight response?”  
“Yes, on one condition.”  
The smile that had broken out on his face turned to confusion, “Oh?”  
“You patch up the cracks in my walls before the wedding and move here with me.”  
“Do you have a problem with my cabin, princess?” he teased.  
“Yes, I do. It’s much too small for the both of us,” she laughed.  
“I accept your conditions.”  
“Good, now kiss me to seal the deal.”  
And he did.  
___________________________________________  
When Clarke told Raven the next day, the other girl had broken out into a huge grin and demanded to know every detail.  
“It’s about damn time!” was her serious exclamation after Clarke finished her story, “You came back after three months and they the both of you started dancing around each other, then I knocked some sense into him so he asked you out eight months ago. It’s been ridiculous watching you two. I’ve waited two years too many for you guys to be together!”  
“Raven, I’ve only known Bellamy for two years and a couple months,” Clarke stated.  
“Exactly my point! It’s been two years too long. You should have made me an honorary aunt by now!” Raven’s serious expression cracked as Clarke raised an eyebrow at her and they both dissolved into giggles.  
“Have you told your mother yet?” Raven asked after their laughter quieted. Clarke shook her head and Raven’s eyes softened. “She likes him you know. She may not show it outwardly, but she takes him seriously.”  
“I know, that’s not my concern.”  
“Oh? What is?” Raven asked while returning back to the heating systems she insisted on checking for issues every three months, even if it was the dead of summer.  
“I’m just nervous I guess,” Clarke sighed as Wick walked in with another system for Raven to check.  
“Congratulations to the blushing bride-to-be!” He said upon seeing Clarke lounging in the workshop. Clarke shot him a smile before excusing herself to speak with her mother. Raven smiled encouragingly before directing her attention to Wick and commencing with their daily argument, this time it concerned the fact that he somehow knew before her.  
Clarke walked the distance to the medbay deep in thought and entered somewhat apprehensively. Her mother was organizing a delivery of herbs and other useful plants that patrols had seen the day before. She motioned her daughter over with a smile and jerk of her head to the chair beside her as her hands continued to lay specific herbs out to be pressed and dried. Clarke took the seat next to her mother and began helping her with the task, letting the silence build up.  
“Bellamy proposed last night,” she blurted out suddenly. Her mother’s hands stilled and Clarke prepared herself for the worst.  
“Finally! It’s about time you two made me a grandmother.”  
Clarke burst into laughter and Abby’s smile widened.  
_______________________________________________  
The ceremony was a week later in a small clearing by the camp just as the sun was setting and when the sky was painted a multitude of colors. It was a simple affair, her mother, the 47, Lincoln and Octavia and few others from the camp. Kane performed the ceremony, which was mostly their own vows, saying everything they had already privately promised each other, in front of everyone else. As they kissed the group whooped and hollered and an infectious energy ran through everyone present.  
“Does that seal the deal for you?” he asked as they broke off their kiss.  
“Absolutely.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who left kudos and comments on the first chapter, they all made me smile! Please enjoy this next part.  
> *NOTE: This chapter has been edited after I re-watched season 2 and realized Byrne was dead, I'd forgotten and originally included her in this chapter. She has now been replaced with David Miller, Nate Miller's father. I thought Abby would most likely had the position over to him after they all made it back from the mountain.*

Clarke is four months and two weeks into her first pregnancy when she swears that this baby will be an only child. 

Between her continued nausea, which was supposed to stop after the first trimester but her mother informed her could persist into the second, frequent nosebleeds and the fact that it was March and was still freaking cold out, Clarke had decided that this was the one and only Blake child that would be brought into the world through her.  
She was exiting the medbay with a cup of tea, one that was supposed to calm her stomach, when she ran into Jasper. 

“You look really pale, Clarke,” he said, noticing her weary eyes and a slight green-tinge to her skin.

“You would be pale too if you’d just thrown up breakfast for the fifth time this week, Jasper.” She responded, still feeling a little queasy. Jasper reeled back as if she might vomit again right then and there, she narrowed her eyes at him before walking off toward the council room for the meeting she was already late for. 

She walked in to see Bellamy, Kane, Sinclair, Major Byrne and her mother outlining the plans for the spring season. Their focus seemed to be on the small gardens most people had now, and if they could be afford to expand their fence to encompass some of the surrounding open land to farm on. Their attention turned to her as she walked over to her seat between her husband and mother.

“Sorry about being late,” she said as she sat down, “catch me up please?” she directed her question to the council.

“As Major Miller and I were just saying, extending the wall is going to strain our resources and we don’t really have the time to do it. The ground is still frozen, we’d have to wait until May at least, because April looks like it will be like last year: all rain, no sun. And who knows how long it will take to extend the wall the amount we want. We are leaving ourselves open to an attack from multiple-” Bellamy cut Sinclair off before he could finish what would most likely be another logical point against the expansion.

“What Sinclair and Major Miller are forgetting is that we currently have no more room anyway. We aren’t just expanding for more land to hopefully farm, but also for more room to build cabins and storehouses for supplies. We are at peace with the surrounding clans, for the most part, there hasn’t been an incident in over a year. We need to do this, and it has to be done now,” by the time Bellamy was through with his speech he was standing and gesturing wildly. 

“I agree with Bellamy, we need to expand now. Not doing this because of the possibility of an attack is foolish,” Clarke spoke. 

The rest of the discussion on the topic continued on in much the same way, with Miller and Sinclair arguing against Bellamy and Clarke. Kane and Abby remained neutral on the issue for the time being, choosing instead to direct the meeting to an impending trade mission with the Trikru that was planned for the upcoming week.

Once the council meeting had adjourned, Bellamy walked with Clarke to the medbay where she was on the afternoon rotation with the infirmary’s newest apprentice, a fifteen year-old boy named Tobin.

“I’ll see you for dinner, yeah? We can talk over how to win the councils support for the expansion plans,” Clarke said, looking up at Bellamy.

“Hopefully. I’m on an afternoon scouting mission, I could be back a bit late,” he responded with a sigh.

“Well, you’ll know where to find me,” she said, placing a quick kiss on his cheek before stepping away. He caught her hand before she could enter her work place and pulled her back to him.

“Is that the only good-bye I get?”

“Yes, you can have a proper kiss later, think of that as an incentive to be back in time for dinner,” Clarke smirked.

“Just a kiss later?” Bellamy slyly asked.

“Depends.”

“On what?”

“If you come back injured from doing something stupid or not.”

“What if I get injured doing something heroic?”

“I’ll be the judge of your heroics and stupidity, thank you very much. Now go, I’m sure they’re waiting on you.” Clarke smiled as he squeezed her hand and backed away from her before spinning to leave. She turned around and headed in to start her shift.

It seemed to be a slow day, a hunting party was out, as well as Bellamy’s scouting mission, but everyone else was within the camp walls where most were least likely to injure themselves. So Clarke turned her focus to the education of Tobin. She was determined to teach him the medicinal properties of all the plants they currently had in stock, which wasn’t a lot considering they were coming out of winter. He was an eager student; inquisitive, clever, and hadn’t balked when she had him help her set the bone of a man who had fallen out of a tree while hunting the week prior and broken his arm. It was his bedside manner that needed some help; he wasn’t exactly comforting. It was something Clarke was working on with him, and she knew Jackson had given Tobin some pointers as well. They hadn’t gotten far when Raven walked in with a burn to her left hand, Wick trailing behind her looking worried.

“Tobin, get some clean bandages from the cabinet, please,” Clarke said upon seeing Raven’s hand.

“It’s really not that bad, I’ve had worse. I’m only here because that idiot behind me was concerned,” Raven said exasperatedly while sitting down on the stool Tobin had abandoned. Wick moved to the her side.

“Show me,” Clarke said. The mechanic obediently stretched out her hand, trying not to wince.

“What’d you do to it?” Clarke asked, examining her forearm and the back of hand to see how far the burn stretched. Tobin appeared with the clean bandages and peered at the wound.

“I was installing a new heating unit in one of the smaller cabins. The older one didn’t want to come out and, well, it was . . . hot,” Raven replied, wincing as Clarke probed a particularly sensitive spot. Wick bit his lip in response to her pain, managing to look angry and concerned all at once.

“Tobin, get one of those bandages in some cool water. I want it damp, not dripping,” Clarke instructed, continuing to observe Raven’s hand, “You’re lucky. It’s not too serious. We’ll clean it up, use a bit of aloe left over from the summer and wrap it in some dry bandages. Here, hold this, it’ll help.” Clarke informed her friend as Tobin reappeared with the cloth as requested.

“So is this a first degree burn?” Tobin questioned.

“Yes, it’s nothing too serious. It’ll heal within the next two weeks, though it might be a bit sore.” Clarke replied. Wick’s concern melted as he learned Raven was fine, though his anger was still present.

“I told you not to touch the stupid thing, but you insisted!” He exclaimed. Clarke tied off the bandage and quietly instructed Tobin to find the aloe and make a paste while she discreetly backed away from what she knew was about to be an explosive argument.

“Someone had to touch it, Wick. If I didn’t change that thing then and there, someone else would have accidently touched it and then they would have been burned. What if it had been a child? I don’t like people being hurt by things I make that aren’t specifically designed to hurt people!” Raven shot back.

“I get that, but you could have waited until we had proper equipment to remove the damn thing.”

“That would have taken too long, besides, you heard Clarke; I’m going to be fine, and at least it wasn’t my right hand, I need that one more,” Raven tried to diffuse the situation and failed. Wick shook his head and left the medbay, leaving Raven to look after him as he walked away. 

“I don’t understand him” Raven said after a few moments.

“He doesn’t like seeing you hurt,” Clarke said as she approached the other girl to put the paste and bandage on her hand.

“Well, you probably don’t either, but you don’t get angry about it.”

“I’m angry that you hurt yourself, but Wick is worried about you. He cares about you, and he thinks you're reckless sometimes.” 

“I'm not reckless,” Raven said defensively. Clarke didn’t comment, choosing to tie off the bandage and instruct her friend to come back after dinner for more bandages and paste.

“Are they always like that?” Tobin questioned from his position by the storage cabinet. 

“Yes,” Clarke chuckled, “they are.”  
\------------------------------------------------  
The rest of the day passed without incident and Clarke dismissed Tobin early, choosing to clean up the infirmary by herself. Jackson was on night shift and she didn’t want to leave a mess. As she was wiping down the counter, Octavia walked in.

“Hey Clarke,” she said, plopping herself down in a seat.

“Hey! How are you?” Clarke asked of the slightly younger woman, putting down the rag she had been using and turning to face her.

“I’m good, just thought I’d drop by and see how you are. Jasper told me you weren’t feeling well this morning,” Octavia said, concern written on her face. Clarke sighed.

“For me it really is just morning sickness, I can’t seem to keep anything down before eleven o’clock. I’m hoping it dies down soon though.” Octavia shot her a sympathetic glance. 

“What did you do today?” Clarke queried as she returned to wiping down the counter.

“Not much, Lincoln and I trained a new batch of people on swords today, that’s it really, nothing exciting,” Octavia paused before looking at Clarke nervously.

“Spit it out,” Clarke said exasperatedly, registering the pause.

“What do you think Bell would say if I told him I wanted to spend six months in Lincoln’s village?” Her sister-in-law hurried out. Clarke stilled.

“Are you serious? When?” the blonde asked, turning to look at Octavia.

“Starting in April. I’d be back in September, I could even come back early for my niece’s birth.”

“Well, you’d need to ask him, but once you convince him, I’m sure it’d be fine.”

Octavia huffed, “You don’t think I’ll be able to convince him do you?”

“I think you’re stubborn enough to, and since when have you followed any of the guidelines he tries to put in place?” Clarke smiled.

“Never.” Octavia laughed.

“Exactly, but don’t you dare tell him I encouraged this.” Clarke warned, amusement lacing her tone.

“Promise,” Octavia said as she prepared to leave.

“Octavia,” the other woman paused, “what makes you so sure it’s a girl?” Clarke questioned.

“Oh, just a feeling,” and she walked away.  
\------------------------------------------  
Bellamy returned late that evening, missing dinner with Clarke. She was sitting in their cabin, sewing in extra panels to a shirt, hoping that she’d be able to wear it as she grew in the later stages of her pregnancy, when he walked in.

“Sorry I missed dinner. Our scouting trip ran into a Trikru hunting party. We had to . . . handle things.” Bellamy said as he entered, toeing off his boots by the door and walking over to where Clarke was seated.

“Was anyone hurt?” she asked, setting the shirt aside and looking up.

“No, no one was hurt. It was just tense for a bit.” 

“Good.” Clarke replied as Bellamy sat down in the chair near their bed. 

“I was thinking,” Clarke started, “that when we convince the council to finally expand the camp, we should apply for a larger cabin. With a baby, we’re going to be busting at the seams, and I think it’s logical, we’d probably be accepted.”

Bellamy looked at her gently, “Why do you think I’m pushing so hard for the expansion to happen this year? This cabin doesn’t have enough space around it to put on a small expansion, we’d have to build new, and I found the perfect spot, outside the fence.”

Clarke felt an enormous rush of love for her husband as she listened to his plans for the new house and the attached vegetable garden he wanted to save space for. She cut him off in the middle of his description of the shelving unit he wanted to make with a long kiss. 

“So I take it you like the idea?” he asked when they broke apart.

“Absolutely.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the delay, life got in the way. I'm actually not that happy with this chapter, but I'll live with it. Hopefully I can get on a roll with the next few. Enjoy!

It’s six o’clock in the morning on the ninth day of August when the first child of the 48 is born. Clarke had been in labor for nineteen hours and was a complete wreck when he took his first cry, a loud wail that announced to the world his presence. His eight pound, two ounce form was pale like Clarke, but his head held a shock of chocolate hair. 

Abby handed her grandson to her daughter after cutting the umbilical cord and watched as Clarke’s eyes lit up at finally seeing him. Bellamy looked down on the pair from his position by Clarke’s head with the biggest grin his mother-in-law had ever seen. Abby took the scene in for a moment more before she backed up and closed the curtains, giving the new family their space. But not before she heard Clarke say his name:

“Noah Jacob Blake.”

The tears came fast.  
\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Clarke and Bellamy had discussed names a bit and had come to the conclusion that she would name the baby if it was a boy and he would do the honors for a girl, with each of them reserving the right to veto the other’s suggestions. 

Clarke knew Bellamy would appreciate the symbolism behind Noah’s first name. The 48 had been a part of a race that had survived an apocalyptic flood of bombs and radiation, they had lived on the Ark, been saved from extinction. Noah was fitting. 

If she was honest with herself, Clarke was a little disappointed that “Jake” and “Blake” rhymed, and mad at herself for even caring, but she did, so Jacob became the middle.  
When she said it out loud for the first time, staring at her son’s face, Bellamy could only think about how perfect it was.  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Their new cabin had a main room that had their small table, two chairs and bed in it along with a bookshelf Bellamy had built. A small, but separate room was just to the side and served as the nursery. It contained a handmade cradle from Lincoln and Octavia, a brand new fur rug from Miller, Monty, Jasper, and the other men of the 48, while Raven, Monroe and the other women had contributed to a woolen blanket. It was cozy and currently quiet as Clarke had just gotten Noah to sleep after dinner. He was three weeks old, and had apparently inherited the Blake ability to command attention; exhibited in his incessant wails that drove his parents mad at points.

Clarke sat down on the bed, exhausted from a long council meeting that had occurred earlier in the afternoon. Octavia had babysat Noah, but he had been fussy and she couldn’t get him to calm down. Clarke had excused herself from the meeting to quiet him, but her son hadn’t stopped crying until well after the meeting ended. Bellamy had caught her up, but Clarke had a feeling that she’d be doing a lot of this until she got quicker at the process or Noah grew out of it. 

As Clarke kicked off her shoes and started undressing, Bellamy walked in, closing the door behind him. 

“Hey,” he said, sounding just as tired as she felt. After he’d caught her up on the meeting, he’d lead a hunting party north and they had just gotten back.

“Hey yourself,” she called, her back to him as she threw on a warm sweater she liked to sleep in, “how was the hunt?”

“Fine, not as good as the last one, but it was enough. How was the rest of the afternoon?”

“I just got him to sleep, he decided that he didn’t want to be put down all afternoon, so I didn’t accomplish anything I needed to,” she responded wearily, letting her hair down from the ponytail she’d been sporting all day, it meant it didn’t end up covered in too much baby throw-up. She groaned, running a hand through her hair, untangling it. Turning around, she saw her husband leaning against the doorframe of their son’s small alcove.

Clarke walked up behind Bellamy, both of their gazes focused on the child who was sleeping peacefully. 

“Could you even have imagined this three years ago?” Bellamy turned his body to let her lean against him while whispering his question.

“Three years seems like a lifetime ago,” she responded.

“It does. Some days I don’t feel twenty-six, I feel more like forty-six.”

“Careful. You already act it, now you’re feeling it, who knows what could happen? Tomorrow you could wake-up and be forty-six; it’s the ground, anything could happen,” Clarke said with a hint of mischief, earning herself a huff from Bellamy.

“Please don’t say things like that, they make me worried.”

“Oh please,” Clarke scoffed, pulling him by his left arm away from the door and to their small table. His wince on her light tug did not go unnoticed and she stopped in her tracks, her playful expression evaporating immediately.

“Bellamy, what is wrong with your arm?”

“Nothing.”

“Bellamy.”

“I swear, nothing is wrong,” he was able to bite out before letting out a gasp of pain as she experimentally tugged on his forearm.

“Bellamy, do not lie to me.”

“Clarke, it’s just a bit sore from a fall I took.”

“How’d you fall on it?” she asked, gently pulling up the sleeve of his tattered jacket, revealing a large bruise. He winced as she started to probe at it.

“I climbed a tree and a branch wasn’t very happy to see me.”

“Bell, why didn’t you get this checked out?” she asked, looking him in the eyes.

“It’s minor, nothing to worry about, I’ll be fine in a few days,” he answered, retracting his arm from her grasp. She gives him a hurt look, before turning away.

“Fine, you can deal with that yourself.”

“Clarke,” Bellamy said, exasperated.

“No, you obviously don’t think taking care of yourself is a big deal, so why should I even try?” her voice was rising, and she knew in the back of her mind Noah was going to wake up, but right now she was furious with her husband.

“Clarke, it’s just a bruise. A nasty one sure, but there’s no blood, no cut, it’s fine, I’m fine,” Bellamy said, trying to placate her.

“No, you aren’t! This is ridiculous! What if it had been worse? Would you have told me then? Would you have told anyone? What if it ended up killing you? What if you thought it was minor but then you got sick because of it?” she whirled around to face him in the middle of her rant to see him looking just as angry, but obviously trying to maintain his temper, and for some reason that infuriated her more.

“Clarke, be reasonable-” Clarke’s raised voice had woken Noah and his cry cut Bellamy off. Clarke’s face fell as if just realizing what she’d done.

"Go get that checked, I’ve got him,” she said in a clipped voice, not meeting her husband’s eyes as she skirted around him and into the small nursery.

Bellamy looked on helplessly as she kept her back to him, trying to calm their child.

“I’m serious Bellamy, go get it checked,” Clarke said with a quiet, toneless voice, noticing there hadn’t been any footsteps.

“I’m not leaving, not in the middle of a fight,” his voice was firm, and Clarke closed her eyes at his words. Taking a deep breath, she continued calming down Noah for the next few moments, before settling him back down in the cradle. She stared at his face a moment longer. Noah had inherited a small cleft in his chin from her, but most of him resembled Bellamy. 

“I’m sorry,” Clarke uttered softly. Bellamy was taken aback.

“What?”

“I’m sorry, this was all stupid. We shouldn’t even be fighting over something like this, it’s trivial. You are fine, it’s just bruised. There was no need for me to blow up,” she said, turning around to face him, but still not meeting his eyes.

“Clarke, I just don’t understand where all this is coming from? If you knew I was fine from just looking at it-“

“I’m just scared you’re going to leave one day, and you won’t come back. I need you,” she said in a quiet voice.

“And I need you,” he said, walking up to her. “Don’t you think for one second that I won’t fight through hell and back to come home every night, because I will,” his voice was fierce as she finally met his eyes.

“It’s not just us anymore, Bell. Do not make me raise him alone,” fire filled her eyes as she stared at him, pleading with him.

“I promise you, right now, I won’t. I’ll never be too tired, too sick, too hurt to not eventually make it home. It may not be when you expect me, but I will be back.”  
She couldn’t help the tears that fell from her eyes as he pulled her tightly to him.

“Stop thinking about the what-ifs right now. Let’s focus on the absolutes, okay?” he murmured into her hair.

“That is absolutely okay,” she gave a watery chuckle before wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing a kiss to his lips.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) I'm so sorry about the long gap between chapters, I'm just super busy, and this one was hard which is why 2) this chapter is crap, and I know it. Sorry about that. The next one will be a direct continuation of this time frame, I know I do a lot of time jumps, but it felt right to end here, rather than trying to drag it out. As always, I hope you enjoyed this one, I should have some more time on my hands soon, so hopefully another update will occur soon. Thank you for reading and please leave feedback!

It was the middle of November when Clarke walked in to see Lincoln sitting across from Bellamy at the table in their cabin. They both turned to look at her as she came in and shed her coat by the door.

“Hey Lincoln. How are you?” Clarke asked, moving to untie her wet shoes; the snows had come earlier this year than last and there was currently a good amount on the ground right now.

“I’m fine, and you?”

“A bit cold, but good,” Clarke said with a smile, moving to warm her hands by the small heater, her back to the two men; “So, how’s Octavia? She must really like the new village, she’s there more than she is here nowadays.”

“That’s actually what I’m here about,” Lincoln paused, “In my village it is customary to inform the parents of your intent to marry their daughter, but seeing as you two are the closest thing to that for Octavia, I came here.”

“I’m not going to say no. O would just kill me and proceed to marry you over my dead body, literally. And besides, I can’t imagine anyone else as my brother-in-law,” Bellamy said with a grin.

Lincoln’s face broke into a smile.

“It’s about damn time. I honestly thought you two would have been married and had two kids before us. So, when do you plan to propose?” Clarke said, watching the two men with a smirk.

“As soon as I get back.”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
The service was held in the evening of the winter solstice at Lincoln’s village. It was bitterly cold outside, but the inside of the ceremony building was warmed by a huge bonfire that made everything glow. The bride seemed to shine in a new coat of furs as she stood by her groom in front of the village elders. Her hair was tumbling down in curls, free of the braids she usually had them in.

The ceremony was short, and as Clarke was told later, untraditional. They chose to tailor the service to their two cultures, incorporating vows from the sky and promises from the ground. Their hands were bound together, and they exchanged metal rings that had been in Lincoln’s family for generations. When they kissed, the small building was filled with raucous cheers that had four month old Noah crying. Clarke looked at Bellamy and he nodded, knowing she was going to quiet their son while he went to his sister. She stood up and went to the door, stopping to put on her coat and wrap her son in a blanket before moving out into the cold. 

She stood just outside the door for a moment before quickly walking toward the building where they were staying while in the village. She opened the door to the dimly-lit hut and walked in, shutting out the cold quickly. She let her eyes adjust before walking to the small cradle and placing Noah in it. Clarke used the small torch that was illuminating the room to light the hearth, creating a cheery fire that quickly warmed the small house up. She replaced the torch on the wall before sitting in the chair that was close to the cradle. She was exhausted. They had arrived in the village the day before to help prepare for the wedding, though there wasn’t really anything to prepare. She had spent today holed up with Octavia and Noah, talking, reminiscing and laughing, and while it had been fun, she was tired from the day, the journey here, and the never-ending list of things she had to do when she got back was constantly running through her mind, and there was the fact she was meeting with Indra tomorrow to solidify a new trade agreement for the large amount of furs that the Sky people wanted for the winter. She was mentally running through it all when she fell asleep.

Clarke woke with a crick in her neck to the sound of her son fussing in the cradle. She got up; stretching to work the kinks out of her neck. She picked up her son, cooing softly at him. She cradled him to her chest, rocking him gently. She was startled when the door opened, letting a blast of cold into the cozy cabin. Bellamy walked in, shaking snowflakes from his curls. Clarke was positive she’d never seen him look more handsome than that moment, illuminated only by torchlight, with a slight grin as he saw her. 

“Hey.”

“Hey. Has it all ended?” She murmured, feeling a bit guilty at missing the rest of the festivities.

“Not yet, but it will be soon. Do you want to go for a bit?” he wondered, moving towards her, holding out his arms to take Noah.

“No, that’s okay, I’m actually really exhausted. Your sister had me laughing all afternoon,” she replied, handing over Noah who quieted instantly in his father’s arms. Clarke huffed in mock frustration; “He never does that for me, but as soon as you take him, he’s silent. Little traitor,” she said with a soft smile, gazing into her son’s hazel eyes.

“He obviously has a favorite parent,” Bellamy said with a smirk, looking into his wife’s eyes. Her withering look made him laugh. “Have you given any thought to tomorrow’s trade meeting?”

Clarke rubbed her forehead as a look of weariness came onto her face; “Yes, a little. We need a good amount from them if we want to make it to spring, and I’m not sure we have all that we need to trade.” 

The harvest hadn’t been as quite as bountiful this year as they had hoped, even with the new fields. The rains weren’t as plentiful, only half the crop actually grew. It left them with a sizable deficiency that they needed to fix with trade. The issue was, they weren’t entirely sure what they had to offer this year that the grounders didn’t already have. If an arrangement couldn’t be agreed upon, they would have to continue with half rations until the next spring, they’d already been on it for two months.

“We’ll come to some arrangement, don’t stress about it tonight,” Bellamy looked her in the eyes, noticing her weariness with concern.

“I’m fine, just worried, per usual,” Clarke responded to her husband’s silent question with a wry grin. He nodded before putting their sleeping son in his cradle and moving to her side, forcing her to look up at him. 

“It’s Indra we are negotiating with, no one else. If nothing else, we ask Lincoln and Octavia to appeal to her . . . better nature.” 

Clarke giggled at the thought, “I’m pretty sure she has two settings, neither of which could be referred to as her ‘better nature,’” she sighed tiredly at the end of her sentence.

“Bed?”

“Absolutely.”


	5. Chapter 5

The trade negotiations the next two days go as well as expected, which is to say, not well at all. To be honest it really was too much to ask the clan to give more than the Sky people could reciprocate, they knew that going in. They returned to Arkadia with much less than they had hoped to get. 

“This it?” Miller asked as they came through the front gate.

“That’s it,” Bellamy responded quietly, watching as the supplies was brought in and taken to the store houses.

“Well, looks like we’ll all be tightening our belts this winter,” he said in a nonchalant way, and if Clarke didn’t know him better she would say he didn’t care. But she did know him, and saw the glimpse of fear in his eyes. She placed the hand not holding Noah on his arm, and he gave her a tight smile before walking back to his post. 

“We have to do something. People are going to get scared. We have to make it through April with half-rations. It’s almost January now, that’s four months more,” Clarke said, staring at the bustling camp.

“We need to talk to the council. Now.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
“I don’t see any other options right now. We can make it on half rations for the next five months if need be, and as soon as the thaw begins we go out and get what we need,” Bellamy said, looking over the numbers on the tablet in front of him. 

The council had gathered quickly after the supplies were counted and started to discuss the issue at hand. No one else could think of other ways around the situation, so they agreed on the reduced meals and set the law for the winter. Abby stopped Clarke and Bellamy as the rest of the council filed out of the small room.

“I’m glad the two of you made it back safely.”

“We just wish we’d been more successful trading,” Clarke responded, her weariness showing in furrowed brows and pinched lips.

“We knew it was a long shot sending you two, but at this point, it is what it is.” 

“Did anything big happen while we were away?” Bellamy queried. 

“Not really, you were only gone four days,” Abby directed her next question to them both, “Will Octavia be living here or with the Trikru? I only ask because Astrid and Quentin had their second child while you were gone, a little girl named Celia, and they could really use their own cabin, they’re currently sharing with Lora and Jefferson, and Lincoln and Octavia’s would be more suitable for them.”

“I know that they’re spending the winter with Trikru. After that, well, to be honest, they haven’t planned out that far in advance. I’m sure they won’t mind, at least until a new one can be built in the spring,” Bellamy decided.

“Thank you, they’ll be thrilled to hear that they can move. Would you mind transferring your sister’s items to your cabin for now? Most of the furniture will be redistributed, but I know you made a chair for her and she left a few things behind, as did Lincoln.”

“Yes, we’ll do that Mom.”

Abby flashed them a smile before hurrying out the door to her shift in medical.

“Do you want help moving things?”

“No, I can do it myself, or I’ll get Miller to chip in if he’s off duty,” they’re both heading out the door as he speaks.

“I’ll go see Raven, she’s supposed to have a new batch of heaters ready; the south zone is next on the docket. I’ll get Noah from Harper afterward, set him up with my mom after her shift is done. I’ll see you for dinner, yeah?” she pecked him on the cheek, not waiting for his answer before striding to the workshop.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven was in the middle of successfully not burning herself on her new products when Clarke walked in. Raven takes her time finishing up before turning to her friend who has been sitting quietly, staring into space. The wrench clatters as she sets it down, and Clarke startles out of her reverie. 

“What’s up?” the brunette questions, looking the blonde in the eyes.

“We’re at half rations for the winter,” she says quietly. Raven is not surprised.

“We knew it was a possibility, what’s the deal?”

“I suppose I was hoping we could avoid it, but now it’s reality. Anyway, let’s focus on keeping everyone as not miserable as possible; show me what you’ve been working on.”  
Raven walked the councilwoman through the logistics of the heaters, saying she had enough to cover the southern section, as well as another heater for the medbay. 

“The northern cabins have had heaters since December, and they’re still in good shape, and the western cabins, and common areas have been heated since November. Engineering should have all the new ones in by next week, but that still leaves the eastern section without heaters,” Raven finished, looking at Clarke.

“So what, that’s fifteen cabins, forty people? Mostly singles or couples, a good majority of the delinquents, any children?”

“Just yours,” she sighed, looking at Clarke, who seemed to have realized the same thing.

“Right, okay, when do you think you can have a set of heaters for our section?”

“That’s the problem, I can probably make four, maybe five more, with the scrap parts I have, but I definitely don’t have enough to cover the entire section.” Clarke was silent, Raven could see her wheels spinning, trying to come up with a plan.

“Okay, okay, I’ll handle this. We’ll double up, move some people around before the worst of it hits. We’ll put the heaters in Miller, Harper, Jasper, and your cabins, so prepare to take guests. Don’t argue about it, those four are closest to the center of camp, it makes the most sense in any sort of snowstorm. I’ll draw up a roster of who’ll be staying with you, and let the others know they need to move.”

“I already have a roommate,” Raven muttered as Clarke started to leave.

“Yes, but seeing as you kicked him out last week and he’s been sleeping in Miller’s cabin, I’m sure you can take in at least 3 girls,” Clarke said, a hint of an accusatory tone slipping in.  
“Hey, you and the rest of camp can keep their noses out of my business!”

“Raven, he doesn’t even know what he did wrong this time. Give the guy a break, he’s trying, and you are not making it easy” Clarke said, a bit more sympathetically.

Raven just turned away, muttering about nosy neighbors and got back to work on the heaters, and Clarke left her to the job.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two weeks later, the middle of January, the arrangements had been made and fifteen cabins had been reduced to four, with several other people throughout camp taking in the inhabitants of the eastern section. Bellamy, Clarke and Noah had temporarily relocated to her mother and Kane’s cabin. It was a tight fit, the five of them living in a house meant for two, and Clarke and Bellamy spent every night on a pile of blankets on the floor, but it was warmer than their cabin would have been and they were making it work, until Bellamy got sick.  
Clarke wasn’t sure when it started; she had been preoccupied with the people who had the flu in medbay. The combination of half rations and a particularly cold winter had led to an increase in the number of cases she was dealing with. Sniffles and coughs had become the soundtrack of her day, so she didn’t notice anything different when she heard them from her husband too, her brain automatically categorizing them as normal. So when she finally notices that her husband is actually sick, she’s ready to shoot herself in the head for her stupidity. 

“Bell, medbay, now,” she commands, walking past him, expecting him to follow her as she marches toward the clinic from the training grounds. She’s all of ten steps past him when she’s stopped in her tracks by a hand on her arm.

“Not now princess. I’m training a new group of archers,” he says in a low, hoarse voice.

“No, you’re not. You’re coming to medbay to get this cold sorted out before it becomes a full-fledged flu case,” she says firmly, looking him in the eyes. “Miller!” she called out, still holding her own in their private battle of wills.

“Yeah?” he called, spying the couple having a stare down.

“You’re qualified to finish out this training session, so it’s yours, Bellamy will proobably be back this afternoon,” she says, daring her partner to say otherwise. He only deflates, shoulders sagging and suddenly looking five years older than his twenty-six years. Clarke turns arounds and continues walking toward the clinic.

When she finally gets Bellamy seated and checked out, she confirms that it’s not the flu yet, but gives him a few things that they’ve found help with the symptoms over the years. She sits down with him and sighs, leaning her pounding head against the wall.

“Sorry,” her husband said after a time. Clarke was silent, staring at the metal wall in front of her. “I should have come in sooner, it’s just between all the new trainees and well, you know, you’re busy here too, things slip,” he sighs.

Clarke relents from trying to bore a hole in the wall with her eyes and turns head to face her husband, “No, it’s okay, I just wish I’d caught it earlier, then you wouldn’t be feeling as awful as you do now.”

Bellamy is surprised, but grins, taking one of her fists from her lap and kissing it, before she pulls away with a dry laugh.

“Now I have to go wash that, can’t have the rest of my patients getting your germs, especially if they aren’t sick yet.” Bellamy pouts good-naturedly, and they both get to their feet, her returning to her work and him to the training yard.

Before he walks out the door, Clarke calls out his name and he turns, “I love you” she calls across the busy room. His tired face breaks into a smile as he tells her he does too.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It’s early February when the snow really starts to come down. Everything before then had been a dusting, with a few mild storms scattered throughout, but February shapes up to be the snowiest month the Sky people have ever seen on Earth.

Everyone had a serious case of cabin fever, itching to get out of their homes, but not wanting to go out into the swirling white storm that limits the vision to a couple of feet in every direction. Clarke on the other hand, was perfectly fine staying inside and watching Noah, who was getting better at crawling away from her every day. He enjoyed making a mess of the mashed food she fed him, to the point that Bellamy wondered if he had her talent for art when he saw the mural on the table from lunch. He stopped wondering once she leveled her steely glare at him. 

It’s the beginning of March when the snow finally stops and most routines get back to normal. Raven is able to rig up another two heaters, one of which is placed in Clarke and Bellamy’s cabin. They had been opposed to the idea, but had been outvoted in the section committee who felt they needed their leaders back. To be honest, Clarke was happy to leave the cramped confines of her mother’s cabin; she’d become accustom to having her own space. 

April brings the melting of most of the snow from winter and the beginning of the planting season. It also brings Octavia and Lincoln back to the camp, permanently they had decided. Octavia is over one evening, smiling as Noah tries to pull himself up with a chair from the table. 

“You know,” she says, eyes still on Noah, “he looks more like Bell every day, especially those curls.”

“I know, and the eyes, he’s got Bellamy’s eyes.” As if he can sense they are talking about him, Noah turns, giving them a chucky-cheeked smile and laughing about something they’ll never understand.

“Clarke?”

“Hmm, yes?” The blonde calls from the other side of the room where she’s sitting.

“I’m pregnant,” Octavia says, eyes now on her sister. Clarke’s face splits into a wide grin before she’s up, bounding over to the younger woman and enveloping her in a hug.  
“How far along? Are you certain? Have you told Lincoln? Of course you have. Have you told Bellamy? Is that why you came back, because I thought you wouldn’t until May,” Clarke gushed excitedly, pulling out of the hug to look at her sister’s face. 

Octavia laughs before answering Clarke’s questions; “Three months, I think. I’m pretty certain. Yes, Lincoln knows. I’ve yet to tell my brother, and yes that is why we came back a bit earlier. Lincoln wants to get the new cabin up before the baby comes.”

“Oh, I’m so excited for you! When are you going to tell him?”

“Tell ‘him’ what? I’m assuming you two are talking about me,” Bellamy came in from the evening rotation of guards, kicking off his boots at the door.

“Don’t let your head swell that much,” Clarke snipped back, with a wink at her sister-in-law.

“Very funny, now what?”

“It’s your news,” Clarke told Octavia.

“I’m pregnant,” she said matter-of-factly, looking her big brother in the eyes.

“Really?” Bellamy’s face lit up as he pulled his sister into a hug.

“Really.”

“This would call for Monty’s moonshine, but well, no more for you,” Clarke laughed.

After Octavia left the cabin for the night, returning to her own, Clarke and Bellamy sat quietly with Noah in his crib.

“You know, I swore up and down I never wanted to be pregnant again, and I’m not saying I want one now, but I love what you and Octavia have, that silent support of a sibling, and I suppose I’d be okay if we had one more,” Clarke murmured to her husband in the quiet of their house.

“Really? Because you were pretty adamant about how much you didn’t want another during labor.”

“No, I’m sure. I’m not saying now, more of a someday, a someday soon. But I do. Absolutely.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, I'm back! This chapter took me awhile, which is why it's extra long now. Enjoy and thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

The heat was oppressive. It was not as bad as it could have been, but it was definitely one of the hotter summers Arkadia had experienced. After years on the temperature regulated Ark, most still found extreme weather a bit disconcerting and very annoying. 

While trade with the grounders had introduced the sky-people to many new useful products, no one seemed to have a preventative substance for sunburns, only remedies for the ensuing painful, red skin. As a result, the sky people tried to avoid the relentless heat and burning sun as much as possible, or if they did have to be outside, they covered up as much as they could. The hot summer days had led to multiple sunburns on the guards and farmer who were out in the open most of the day. Clarke thanked her lucky stars that Bellamy didn’t burn that easily, and resigned herself to staying inside the clinic most of the time.   
She was working in the medbay in late July when the hurricane that is Raven Reyes blew through the doors, storming up to where she and Tobin were working on making more aloe paste.

“I can’t deal with him anymore,” the slightly older woman practically screamed.

“Raven, what is going on?” Clarke queried, bewildered.

“I swear I am going to throttle Wick the next time I see him.”

“I thought things were going better; you guys figured your issues out and moved back in together in April,” Clarke said, subtly ushering Tobin to leave them for the moment. He hurried away quickly.

“They were until he decided propose.”

Clarke was silent as the woman in front of her starred furiously at the wall, eyes glistening, chest heaving as she fought for control.

“Raven-” Clarke started, stopping when the woman shook her head sharply.

“No, just, just let me sit here for a minute, okay?” she sighed wearily.

“Okay.” 

They sat for a good ten minutes while Raven continued her glaring math with the medbay wall. 

“You good?” she ventured.

Raven took a deep breath, nodding, “I’m good, thanks.” Raven grimaced, meeting Clarke’s eyes, half sheepish, half defensiveness. 

“Look, I’m not trying to tell you how to deal with this, but not dealing with it is definitely not what you’re supposed to do in this situation,” Clarke said quietly, but firmly.

“I know,” the woman mumbled.

“You haven’t been with anyone but Wick in four years, what’s preventing you from being committed to him? Yes, the two of you have been off and on, but that’s your doing, and for some reason he’s always taken you back, which is amazing after all the shit you put him through, and I really want to support you on this, but I’m not sure I can when you can’t figure out your emotions!” Clarke burst out, unable to contain years of quiet criticism for her best friend’s love life. Clarke felt guilty for her outburst, but immediately stamped it down. Raven needed to hear this. Raven starred at her, fury building in her eyes. Clarke refused to back down, meeting her friend’s fire with an icy gaze of her own.

“You don’t know anything, Griffin,” Raven spat out, getting to her feet.

“What don’t I know Raven?” Clarke said stonily.

“You were able to get over Finn. He was just a fling for you. He was everything to me. For seventeen years, he was everything to me. I can’t be expected to just give that up in less than half of that,” her anguished reply addressed what Clarke had always feared.

“Whose expectation are we addressing? Arkadia’s? Damn them. Your friends? We all want you to be happy. Wick’s? He wants you, with all your baggage attached, he’s made that very clear,” Clarke halted before continuing with the more painful questions, rising and grasping Raven’s hands, “Finn’s expectations? Raven, I know it hurts, but he’s gone. You don’t think I mourn him? I do. Every day. As a friend, if not as a lover. Finn would not want you to be unhappy. After all he did to protect you, he wouldn’t want to see you continue to live like this. So the expectations must be the one’s you’ve set for yourself,” Clarke finished quietly, staring Raven in the eyes. 

Raven was quiet, tears streaming down her cheeks as she collapsed into the blonde’s arms. Clarke staggered back into her chair, taking the brunette with her.

“I know Raven, I know. It aches. It cuts deep and takes forever to heal. Far longer than it took me, I know,” she made comforting sounds as Raven sobbed out years of regret and pain. 

“I don’t know what to tell him,” Raven got out.

“Tell who?”

“Kyle.”

Clarke started. That was the first time she’d ever heard Raven say Wick’s first name out loud. 

“You need to explain it to him. He wouldn’t have stayed with you if he thought you didn’t have feelings for him, but you need to tell him outright.”

Raven sniffled her agreement, and Clarke took it as a sign to start getting them to their feet. Raven struggled to get her brace to cooperate, cursing the thing as it almost gave out on her.

“Damn thing, I can’t get these kinks worked out.”

“What happened to your other one?” Clarke asked. The one Wick had built her had withstood four years of harsh treatment by the mechanic.

“I took it off.”

“Why? Who built this one?”

“I built it,” was Raven’s indignant reply, “I took the other one off in protest.”

“What the hell are you protesting?”

“Wick,” the older woman muttered, flushing a bit. Clarke bit back a sigh.

“Okay, first, put the other brae back on, it’s much better than this . . . thing you have on now. Then you tell Wick about this.”

Raven nodded, then hugged the blonde, hard. They parted and Raven walked out.

Clarke sighed, dropping her head into her hands, trying to massage away the oncoming headache. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She had drifted off to sleep, and her husband found her there an hour later. Bellamy shook her awake, grimacing as she turned her head this way and that, her bones crackling.

“I’ll never understand how you can do that.”

“Easy. Mom says I was born with loose bones.”

Bellamy shook his head, grinning a bit and moving out of his crouch as Clarke rose to start cleaning the medial bay up. Bellamy quickly fell in sync with her, organizing medicines and putting things away.

“What have you heard?” Clarke queried, knowing Bellamy would know what she was referring to.

“They disappeared into their cabin not long after she came out of here. I haven’t heard anything more. Don’t worry, they’ll come out when they are ready.”

Clarke sighed, knowing he was right, “Come on, we’re done here. Let’s get Noah from my mom.” 

They walked out in step, weaving their way through the camp toward the Chancellor’s cabin. Clarke opened the door and was greeted with her son crawling around as her mother crawled after him, both of them laughing. Abby saw them, smiling as she stood up. 

“Hey,” her mother said, scooping Noah up and approaching the parents.

“How was today?” Clarke asked, watching as Bellamy lifted their son out of her mother’s arms.

“Fine, fine,” her mother flapped her hands at the question, “How was your shift?”

“Normal. Moira is still in medbay, her ankle is acting up again. She wants you to look at it, you know how she is,” Abby sighed, indeed knowing how the older woman preferred her to her daughter.

“I’ll reassure her. I better get going, and you need to get this one to bed,” Abby said, moving to put on her shoes as Clarke and Bellamy said goodbye, heading home. 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They had settled in for the night, both of them just on the edges of sleep after a long day when frantic knocking sounded at the door. Bellamy startled out of bed, quickly moving to the door, yanking it open as Clarke also vacated the bed, heading for her pants, listening to the conversation at the door.

“What do you need Lea?” Bellamy asked. Clarke started moving faster, pulling on her shoes. Lea was the other apprentice of the doctors and she was on duty tonight with Abby.

“Norah is having her baby and Abby wants Clarke there,” Lea rushed out, her eyes finding Clarke as she said, “The baby’s gone breech, Clarke.” 

Clarke stopped moving, her mind racing. She sprang back into action, doing what she did best: issuing orders. 

“Lea, go back now, I’ll be right behind you. Bell, this may take all night, don’t bother waiting up for me,” she flew out the door, stopping only to kiss her husband fiercely before sprinting behind Lea. This wasn’t their first breech birth, but each one tested their skills. Abby had checked on Norah weeks ago and the baby had been presenting normally, something had happened since then to turn the baby the wrong way. Clarke rushed into medical, tying her hair back and going to the sink. She poured alcohol over her hands, moving to her mother’s side. Norah was on the table, sweating from the pain. Her husband Ryland was standing by her head, looking helpless.

“Baby has their butt down. We need to turn fast. This is her second, labor should be faster, she just started, so we should have some time, but I’m not sure how much,” Abby said calmly, filling Clarke in. 

“Lea, come stand where I am, watch as Clarke and I turn the baby, okay?” the apprentice nodded, moving into place. Norah, calmer than her husband, smiled at the young girl, then grimaced with the pain of a contraction.

“I’m glad to be of help in teaching you’re student, but can we get this over with please?” Norah said.

Abby grinned, “Agreed. Clarke, press here, gently.” Clarke may have been a fully trained doctor now, but she still bowed to her mother’s more numerous years in the field. 

Mother and daughter worked to turn the baby, pressing and massaging Norah’s belly. After several minutes, Abby stepped back looking pleased. 

“I think that’ll do it. Try pushing now Norah.” 

The birth was relatively quick after that. Norah and Ryland were holding their new daughter, Kaya. She was a beautiful, squalling mess of a child. 

Abby sent Clarke back home not long after, promising her a later shift the next morning to compensate having to come in that night. 

Clarke trudged home in the early morning, adrenalin wearing off as she crept into her home. She shed her shoes and pants, preferring to spend the hot nights of the summer in her shirt and underwear to stay cool. She quietly walked to ensure her son was asleep before crawling into bed with Bellamy. 

He woke as the bed dipped beneath her weight, pulling her close.

“Is Norah alright? The baby?” he asked, sleep coloring his words.

“A girl they named Kaya. Norah’s alright. I’m sure you’ll hear all about it from Ryland on duty tomorrow. You have the afternoon shift tomorrow, right?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Mom shifted my schedule to the afternoon because of tonight, so I was thinking we could take the morning and do something fun for once,” she said, meeting his eyes in the dark.

“Like what?” He was awake now.

“Oh, I don’t know. I have some ideas, all of which would require a baby sitter,” Clarke said slyly.

Bellamy chuckled, pulling her in close.

“You like the idea?”

“Absolutely.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the whirlwind. Not sure I like this chapter, but I didn't feel like nitpicking it anymore. Please forgive any medical inaccuracies, I did some research, but I stretched some things to fit my plot. Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thanks for reading!


End file.
